The "Noble Cause" to Establish an "Islamic Republic"

The Washington Post prints a story on the Bush Administration's effort to lower expectations for Iraq.

Not only is Iraq nowhere near a self-sustaining economy, but the Administration also seems to admit the Iraqi Constitution will not guarantee democracy much less protection for women or minority rights.

"We set out to establish a democracy, but we're slowly realizing we will have some form of Islamic republic," said another U.S. official familiar with policymaking from the beginning, who like some others interviewed would speak candidly only on the condition of anonymity. "That process is being repeated all over."

The piece notes how the Shiites and the Kurds view the situation as winner-take-all. As both have already displayed, you can expect the new bosses to be as bad as the old boss.

So Mr. President, please answer Cindy Sheehan's question --- what was and is the noble cause our soldiers have died and will die for?